Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities asking for levy renewal

By CHRISTINE L. PRATT Staff Writer

Monday

Jun 23, 2014 at 4:00 AM

MILLERSBURG -- To sustain continued operations of the Holmes County Board of Developmental Disabilities, Holmes County residents will be asked to renew their support of a local levy in November.

The Holmes County commissioners approved a resolution to place the levy on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The five-year, 2.5-mill levy was first passed by voters in 1990 and has since been renewed every five years. It generates $1.3 million annually, according to Superintendent F. Scott Brace, noting the current levy expires at the end of 2014.

It is one of three levies on which the board relies, said Brace.

Operations also are funded by a continuing 2.5-mill levy, first passed in 1980, which generates $895,000 annually, and a 10-year, 1.8-mill levy, first passed in 2001, which generates $1.26 million a year.

Because the request before voters is a renewal, it represents no new taxes. If passed, it would continue to cost voters $38.38 a year for a $100,000 property.

Typically opposed to asking for money, all three county commissioners said they were behind the levy and the programs supported by it.

"We are so fortunate to have that organization in our county. Some counties aren't fortunate enough to have what we do," said Commissioner Joe Miller at the June 16 meeting.

Speaking about the training center arm of the organization, Commissioner Ray Eyler said, "People don't understand the amount of labor they are there doing ... jobs no one else wants to do.

"If not for that program and the people who support it, where would (adult clients) be?" he asked.

Funds generated by the levy help to support board services including early intervention, school age instruction, assistance with the preschool program, music, occupational, physical and speech therapy, assistance to families and individuals living on their own, transportation, nursing, food services and administration, as well as the entire adult program.

Without the financial support of the levy, Brace said, services would have to be cut.

"The board sets priorities, and they haven't made any decisions," said Brace, adding, "half the counties have closed their school programs because of funding challenges. We're not the primary ones responsible for educational services, we're here to support the families and work with East Holmes and West Holmes to determine what's best for families."

He said coordinated efforts led to development of a class for students with autism and other challenging conditions.

He said the board continues to be fiscally focused. "As an agency, payroll costs are now less than when I started in 2003," said Brace. "We've been trying to cut our expenses to stay within our resources, and certainly the emphasis from the state is to cut funding and encourage regional resources."

Furthermore, he said, when he leaves his position in August 2015, the board will be forced, by state mandate, to consider replacing him with a superintendent shared with another county.

Brace said his exit date was set when he officially retired two years ago, at which time he was rehired part time for three years. In that time, he said, they've been internally training staff so as to provide the board with as many options as possible.

Over the years, Brace said, the organization has enjoyed great support from the community.

"We've worked hard to be responsive to the people we serve and our community and I think it also reflects that three of the board members have people we serve in the program, so they have intimate and day-to-day knowledge of our services. We have a strong program, and I'm humbled by the support we get from the community, but it's not something we take for granted. Hopefully it will continue," he said.

Reporter Christine L. Pratt can be reached at 330-674-5676 or cpratt@the-daily-record.com.

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